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Saturday, December 28, 2013

Tunes of nature

We in the forces can
only have such a treat of being woken up by the melodious tunes of a pipe band.
So my house here in the cantonment, happens to be located at a place which falls
in the route for the daily drill practice of the band. Wherein they play while
marching in a columnar fashion. But what made my day, was the tune they played
today. It is of one of the most popular songs from the hills of Kumaun, ‘Bedu
Pako Bar Masa’. Although I am the breed of one of those Non Resident Kumaunis , we had quite a big community in Lucknow, where I lived the early years of my
life. The morning tunes today, took me back to the memories of our gatherings
back home, where the folk songs from the mountains of now known as Uttarakhand reverberated.
The music transpired by the tunes of nature, reflected the purity of soul of the
simple people of this region. Aptly known as ‘Devbhumi’, the tussock of faith
and devotion has been home to innumerous sages and seekers of tranquility since
ages. Though born and brought up in Lucknow, I have grown in the environs of
the protected culture of poorvanchal. As the marching troops passed by, the
fading euphony lifted the mist of the by gone times and a serene timelessness
prevailed. Running down the brown hills enveloped in the dried pine leaves, me
and my brother stopping in between to shout our names used to get thrilled to
hear them echo back. Snuggled between the tall mountains of Bageshwar, there
somewhere amidst the calm and pure serenity of nature, away from the eccentric
city life, was my father’s village, ‘Kuchauli’. Located in a valley, the village
was surrounded by the ethereal beauty of kumaon hills. Tall pine and deodar
trees swaying to the melodies of cool and fresh mountain breeze with the
majestic view of the snow caped great Himalayas in far vicinity, the place was
most loved destination for our summer holidays. Enjoying the joys of simple
living we used to immerse ourselves in the unspoilt routines of village life.
Living in the old but very traditional houses with beautiful exteriors carved
in wood, the feel was just perfect for a relaxed time rediscovering the roots
of our existence. The remote rural life, rich in culture and drenched in
simplicity reflected in the kind hearted people of the village. Donning their
customary dresses, the smiling faces of the 'pahari' ladies welcomed every
passing by traveler. The sumptuous meal cooked on the slow wooden flames out of
the muddy stove made it taste the best ever in the world. The cold water of the
mountain streams, the step farming on the hills, the absolutely stunning clear
night skies, all this and much more bundled up together, made this place a
perfect antidote to the atrocities of this frenetic world. Drawn back from the yesteryear to this day again with the sweet voice of my younger one, the memories singing
the tunes of nature which looked so far,
though farther in the time lane are
actually farthest in real time as
the village worst hit by the brain drain stays abandoned by the young
generation. An abode becomes beautiful when it has such people living there
but here the village had lost its charm when I visited it three years ago as it
lay deserted with people moving out in search of higher education and job.
Moving ahead in life is good but if villages get desolated like this and we
move away from our genesis then what are we preserving for our future?

8 comments:

Hi Upma,Thanks for the ethereal tour of your lovely hometown.It is sad that people have to leave their roots in such a beautiful place to "move ahead in life" as you say.You must go back to your roots after "retirement".I really liked this well-written post and the pictures.Wish you and your family a Very Happy New YearMay the highly talented Creative Writer and Blogger hiding inside you blossom fully in 2014RegardsVikram KarveAcademic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve